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Almost 10% of Healthcare Personnel Now Vaccinated Against A(H1N1)
Tuesday 05 January 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava January 5 (TASR) - The number of Slovak healthcare workers interested in being vaccinated against the pandemic A(H1N1) virus is comparable to that in the Czech Republic, TASR learnt on Tuesday.
"According to the data that we've received so far, between 8 and 10 percent of those eligible have been vaccinated," said Martina Merkova from the Public Health Office (UVZ).
Spokesperson for the Faculty Hospital in Bratislava Rut Gerzova told TASR that the vaccination rate among her institution's employees is now around 15 percent.
The vaccine, called Panenza, is now set to be provided primarily to healthcare personnel and population groups at risk. Later it will be available to pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses.
Faculty and regional hospitals were supplied with vaccines in December 2009 so that they could vaccinate personnel who were interested in this.
Merkova said that the vaccine is currently being distributed to health centres in order to make it available to so-called first-contact doctors. "To protect healthcare personnel as well as patients, our aim is to make sure that the vaccination rate in hospitals and health centres is as high as possible," she added.
UVZ emphasizes that people needn't be afraid of being vaccinated, as the vaccine is effective and safe.
According to the latest statistics, 986 people had been confirmed as infected with the pandemic A(H1N1) virus in Slovakia between the time that it broke out earlier last year and the end of 2009. According to the latest figures, 32 people confirmed as infected with the virus have died.
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